It's inevitable. We might question the pace of it (I have to say that even I, a self-confessed free marketeer is surprised with Western Government's complete resignation to this trend) but in the end the inevitable will happen. The Western answer should be constant innovation. There is no other way, I am afraid. Capital will always have the last word.

It's inevitable. We might question the pace of it (I have to say that even I, a self-confessed free marketeer is surprised with Western Government's complete resignation to this trend) but in the end the inevitable will happen. The Western answer should be constant innovation. There is no other way, I am afraid. Capital will always have the last word.

@StephenWL
What you say strikes a chord.
It is notable that in the West the numbers of young people who want to study science and engineering is reducing, which perhaps reflects a lack of interest in infrastructure building and development of the country.
Meanwhile in southeast Asia and elsewhere where there is, I perceive, still a lot of interest in infrastructural building STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) are popular.
Another way of looking at it is the difference between the questions "What can the country do for me?" and "What can I do for my country?"

@StephenWL
What you say strikes a chord.
It is notable that in the West the numbers of young people who want to study science and engineering is reducing, which perhaps reflects a lack of interest in infrastructure building and development of the country.
Meanwhile in southeast Asia and elsewhere where there is, I perceive, still a lot of interest in infrastructural building STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) are popular.
Another way of looking at it is the difference between the questions "What can the country do for me?" and "What can I do for my country?"

If there is a so-called "design crystal tower", it is not unique to "design" or to "engineering" or to "technology". I perceive the "crystal tower" is referring to self-interest. The self interests have led to an overall high cost for technology or any kind of development, relative to other places.
For example, if the expectation is to have a large fancy home, an engineer would have to orient his/her priority accordingly. If the expectation is to have leisure on priority, an engineer would be expected to put leisure on priority vs engineering efforts. If the expectation is to consume, an engineer would be as wasteful as any other person.
An engineer's or a manufacturer's work is easier to be out-sourced to another place than the work of a lawyer,or a doctor, or a politician, or a homw builder, or a taxi driver, or a hospital worker, or a policeperson, or a teacher, or a - -.
The basic issue is not one of technical or innnovation ability but rather priorities of a society. A priority change from one of consumption to one of infra-structural building , from reward for self interest protection to for social contribution. Measure infra-structure/industrial expenditure index instead of consumption index. Provide incentive for saving/conservation as opposed to expenditure/environmental-impact.

If there is a so-called "design crystal tower", it is not unique to "design" or to "engineering" or to "technology". I perceive the "crystal tower" is referring to self-interest. The self interests have led to an overall high cost for technology or any kind of development, relative to other places.
For example, if the expectation is to have a large fancy home, an engineer would have to orient his/her priority accordingly. If the expectation is to have leisure on priority, an engineer would be expected to put leisure on priority vs engineering efforts. If the expectation is to consume, an engineer would be as wasteful as any other person.
An engineer's or a manufacturer's work is easier to be out-sourced to another place than the work of a lawyer,or a doctor, or a politician, or a homw builder, or a taxi driver, or a hospital worker, or a policeperson, or a teacher, or a - -.
The basic issue is not one of technical or innnovation ability but rather priorities of a society. A priority change from one of consumption to one of infra-structural building , from reward for self interest protection to for social contribution. Measure infra-structure/industrial expenditure index instead of consumption index. Provide incentive for saving/conservation as opposed to expenditure/environmental-impact.

@ Peter, What I meant by flat was global wage equalization. Here is the problem, as the mask cost goes up (500k +++) for given technology nodes, some bean counter is going to ask how do we cut cost. The mask makers are not going to budge, so that leaves the design resource salaries. Please note, I have worked with design groups that spin 3-4 full mask sets prior to final release. Really hurts the pocket book!

@ Peter, What I meant by flat was global wage equalization. Here is the problem, as the mask cost goes up (500k +++) for given technology nodes, some bean counter is going to ask how do we cut cost. The mask makers are not going to budge, so that leaves the design resource salaries. Please note, I have worked with design groups that spin 3-4 full mask sets prior to final release. Really hurts the pocket book!

I still see a lot of creativity and new technologies coming out of the US. We still have a lot to offer to the rest of the world and I do not see that changing any time soon. My son (despite my concerns) still talks about becoming and engineer like his dad and working with robots.

I still see a lot of creativity and new technologies coming out of the US. We still have a lot to offer to the rest of the world and I do not see that changing any time soon. My son (despite my concerns) still talks about becoming and engineer like his dad and working with robots.

Datasheets.com Parts Search

185 million searchable parts
(please enter a part number or hit search to begin)

My Mom the Radio StarMax MaxfieldPost a commentI've said it before and I'll say it again -- it's a funny old world when you come to think about it. Last Friday lunchtime, for example, I received an email from Tim Levell, the editor for ...

A Book For All ReasonsBernard Cole1 CommentRobert Oshana's recent book "Software Engineering for Embedded Systems (Newnes/Elsevier)," written and edited with Mark Kraeling, is a 'book for all reasons.' At almost 1,200 pages, it ...